Close to the Fire
I have just 'landed' back home, after a marvelous week with the family on vacation in the Upper Galilee. During a 'tiyul' (hike - pictured above) there were several (between 10-20, I guess) loud "booms" over a period of a few hours. Some sounded very close - perhaps within a few hundred meters. In the North of Israel, one is used to hearing aircraft breaking the sound-barrier with "booms", and also to hearing army excercises accompanied by various explosions. However, these didn't sound like either...and we also heard air-raid warning sirens at some local villages. The hike was particularly easy and flat, with water to dip in (prominent No Swimming notices were totally ignored), and is popular, with literally bus-loads of walkers around us. A few people fidgeted, and seemed somewhat concerned, but, de facto, everyone continued their walk and splashing, business-as-usual. My ten year old son asked what might be happening.... I open...